Kingsclere vicar set to leave ahead of Christian mission abroad

The vicar at St Mary’s Church, Kingsclere, is departing for pastures new after revealing plans to become involved in missionary work abroad.

The Rev Ben Read – who was appointed as the vicar serving Kingsclere, Ashford Hill and Headley in 2016, replacing the Rev Lucy Thirtle – is set to complete a five-month training course at The King’s Lodge in Warwickshire, which is part of the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Christian missions organisation.

He will then, with his wife Bethan and their three young daughters Cara, Chloe and Olivia, move abroad on a Christian mission – but they are keeping an open mind as to where.

Mr Read – who grew up in a small village near Aberystwyth, Wales – said it felt like the right step for him and his family.

He said: “We’ve been praying about the future, and both my wife and I have been thinking about work overseas.

“We took some time in November to pray and think through things, and we really felt strongly that this was the right step.

“Our eldest is eight, and we feel we have a bit of time before school gets serious. It’s a big change for them, but they’re excited.

“Sometimes you just have to take the opportunity – we don’t want to keep putting it off.

“It might be that we come back to church ministry in the future but we’re going to be open to what we believe the Lord is leading us to do.”

Mr Read’s last service in Kingsclere will be on Sunday, March 6, at 10.30am, before starting the course on April 7.

There will then be an interregnum before the next reverend for the communities is appointed.

Mr Read, 36, said he will be leaving the parish with fond memories, having first arrived six years ago after leaving his role as assistant curate in Carmarthen, West Wales.

He continued: “We’ve had a lovely time and have loved living here.

“We’ve got to know people and now count many of them as our friends, and I’ve enjoyed being the vicar here – it’s been a really fulfilling role.

“It’s been particularly great to see how our church has grown spiritually and in number, and we’ll be praying for the next person who gets appointed.

“We’ll have great memories of Kingsclere, particularly things like doing the holiday club in the summer, with the gunge tank.

“We’ll miss the village and the people.”